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April 6
Events *648 BC - Earliest solar eclipse recorded by the Ancient Greeks. * 402 - Stilicho stymies the Visigoths under Alaric in the Battle of Pollentia. *1320 - The Scots reaffirm their independence by signing the Declaration of Arbroath. *1327 - The poet Petrarch first sees his idealized love, Laura, in the church of Saint Clare in Avignon. *1385 - John, Master of the Order of Aviz, is made king John I of Portugal. *1652 - Dutch sailor Jan van Riebeeck establishes a resupply camp at the Cape of Good Hope, which eventually becomes Cape Town. *1667 - An earthquake devastates Dubrovnik, then an independent city-state. *1782 - Rama I succeeds King Taksin of Thailand, who was overthrown in a coup d'état. *1793 - During the French Revolution, the Committee of Public Safety becomes the executive organ of the republic, and the period known as the Reign of Terror begins. *1808 - John Jacob Astor incorporates the American Fur Company. *1814 - Napoleon abdicates. He is then exiled to Elba. *1830 - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is organized by Joseph Smith and others at Fayette. *1832 - Indian Wars: Black Hawk War begins - The Sauk warrior Black Hawk enters into war with the United States. *1860 - Joseph Smith III, creates the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by reorganizing the previous church organized by his father, Joseph Smith, Jr. *1862 - American Civil War: Battle of Shiloh begins - In Tennessee, forces under Union General Ulysses S. Grant meet Confederate troops led by General Albert Sidney Johnston. *1865 - American Civil War: Battle of Sayler's Creek - Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia fights its last major battle while in retreat from Richmond. *1866 - The Grand Army of the Republic , an American patriotic organization composed of Union veterans of the American Civil War , is founded. It lasts until 1956. *1869 - Celluloid is patented. *1893 - Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints dedicated by Wilford Woodruff. *1895 - Oscar Wilde is arrested (in Cadogan Hotel, London) after losing a libel case against the John Sholto Douglas. *1896 - In Athens, the opening of the first modern Olympic Games 1,500 years after being banned by Roman Emperor Theodosius I. *1903 - The Kishinev pogrom in Kishinev (Bessarabia) begins, forcing tens of thousands of Jews to later seek refuge in Israel and the Western world. *1909 - Robert Peary allegedly reaches the North Pole. *1911 - Dedë Gjon Luli Dedvukaj, Leader of the Malësori Albanians, raises the Albanian flag in the town of Tuzi, Montenegro, for the first time after Gjergj Kastrioti (Skenderbeg). *1917 - World War I: United States declares war on Germany (see Wilson's address to Congress). *1919 - Gandhi orders a General Strike. *1923 - The first Prefects Board in Southeast Asia is formed in Victoria Institution, Malaysia. *1924 - The first successful flight (with stops) completely around the world begins *1926 - Walter Varney Airlines makes first commercial flight (Varney is the root company of United Airlines). *1930 - Gandhi raises a lump of mud and salt and declares, "With this, I am shaking the foundations of the British Empire." Thus he starts Salt Satyagraha. *1936 - Tupelo-Gainesville Outbreak: Another tornado from the same storm system as the Tupelo tornado hits Gainesville, killing 203. *1941 - World War II: Operation Castigo begins; Germany invades Kingdom of Yugoslavia and Greece. *1947 - The first Tony Awards are presented for theatrical achievements. *1957 - Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis buys the Hellenic National Airlines (TAE) and founds Olympic Airlines. *1965 - Launch of Early Bird, the first communications satellite to be placed in synchronous orbit. *1968 - In Richmond's downtown district, a double explosion kills 41 and injures 150. *1970 - Newhall Incident: Four California Highway Patrol officers are killed. *1972 - Vietnam War: Easter Offensive - American forces begin sustained air strikes and naval bombardments. *1973 - Launch of Pioneer 11 spacecraft. *1984 - Members of Cameroon's Republican Guard unsuccessfully attempt to overthrow the government headed by Paul Biya. *1992 - A general strike is declared by communist groups in Nepal *1994 - The Rwandan Genocide begins when the aircraft carrying Rwandan president Juvénal Habyarimana and Burundian president Cyprien Ntaryamira is shot down. *1996 - Panathinaikos becomes the first Greek team to win the basketball European Championships (now Euroleague) in Paris, beating FC Barcelona by 67-66. *1998 - Pakistan tests medium-range missiles capable of hitting India. *2004 - Rolandas Paksas becomes the first president of Lithuania to be peacefully removed from the post by impeachment. *2005 - Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani becomes the Iraqi president; Shiite Arab Ibrahim al-Jaafari is named premier the next day. Births *1483 - Raphael, Italian painter and architect (d. 1520) *1613 - Stjepan Gradić, Croatian philosopher and scientist (d. 1683) *1630 - Shivaji, founder of the Maratha Empire (d. 1680) *1632 - Maria Leopoldine of Austria, Holy Roman Empire Empress (d. 1649) *1651 - André Dacier, French classical scholar (d. 1722) *1664 - Arvid Horn, Swedish statesman (d. 1742) *1671 - Jean-Baptiste Rousseau, French poet (d. 1741) *1725 - Pasquale Paoli, Corsican patriot and military leader (d. 1807) *1812 - Alexander Herzen, Russian writer (d. 1870) *1815 - Robert Volkmann, German composer (d. 1883) *1818 - Aasmund Olavsson Vinje, Norwegian poet (d. 1870) *1820 - Nadar, French photographer (d. 1910) *1823 - Joseph Medill, Mayor of Chicago (d. 1899) *1826 - Gustave Moreau, French painter (d. 1898) *1841 - Karl Binding, German jurist (d. 1920) *1849 - John William Waterhouse, British painter (d. 1917) *1851 - Guillaume Bigourdan, French astronomer (d. 1932) *1878 - Erich Mühsam, German author (d. 1934) *1884 - Walter Huston, Canadian-born actor (d. 1950) *1890 - Anthony Fokker, Dutch designer of aircraft (d. 1939) *1892 - Donald Wills Douglas, American industrialist (d. 1981) * 1892 - Lowell Thomas, American travel writer (d. 1981) *1901 - Pier Giorgio Frassati, Italian Catholic (d. 1925) *1902 - Veniamin Kaverin, Russian writer (d. 1989) *1903 - Mickey Cochrane, American baseball player (d. 1962) * 1903 - Harold Edgerton, American electrical engineer (d. 1990) *1909 - Hermann Lang, German race car driver (d. 1987) *1909 - William M. Branham, American evangelist (d. 1965) *1911 - Feodor Felix Konrad Lynen, German biochemist, Nobel laureate (d. 1979) *1918 - Alfredo Ovando Candía, Bolivian president (d. 1982) *1920 - Edmond H. Fischer, Swiss-American biochemist, Nobel laureate *1926 - Sergio Franchi, Italian-born singer and actor (d. 1990) * 1926 - Gil Kane, Latvian-born cartoonist (d. 2000) * 1926 - Ian Paisley, Northern Irish politician *1927 - Gerry Mulligan, American musician (d. 1996) *1928 - James D. Watson, American geneticist, Nobel laureate *1929 - André Previn, German-born composer and conductor * 1929 - Joi Lansing, American model and actress (d. 1972) *1931 - Ivan Dixon, American actor and director *1933 - Roy Goode, British lawyer * 1933 - Eduardo Malapit, American Democratic politician (d. 2007) *1934 - Anton Geesink, Dutch judoka *1937 - Merle Haggard, American musician * 1937 - Billy Dee Williams, American actor *1938 - Paul Daniels, English magician * 1938 - Roy Thinnes, American actor *1939 - André Ouellet, French Canadian politician *1940 - Pedro Armendáriz Jr., Mexican actor *1941 - Phil Austin, American comedian * 1941 - Don Prudhomme, American drag racer * 1941 - Gheorghe Zamfir, Romanian musician *1942 - Barry Levinson, American film producer/director *1944 - Felicity Palmer, English soprano *1947 - John Ratzenberger, American actor *1949 - Horst Ludwig Störmer, German-born physicist, Nobel laureate *1951 - Bert Blyleven, Dutch-born baseball player *1952 - Udo Dirkschneider, German singer (Accept and U.D.O.) * 1952 - Marilu Henner, American actress * 1952 - Michel Larocque, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 1992) *1955 - Keith Hunter Jesperson, Canadian-born serial killer * 1955 - Michael Rooker, American actor *1956 - Dilip Vengsarkar, Indian cricketer and administrator *1960 - Warren Haynes, American guitarist, singer and songwriter (The Allman Brothers Band, Gov't Mule) *1964 - Phil Gayle, English news presenter *1965 - Frank Black, American singer/songwriter (Pixies) *1967 - Mika Koivuniemi, Finnish ten-pin bowler *1968 - Affonso Giaffone, Brazilian racing driver *1969 - Bison Dele, American basketball player (disappeared 2002) * 1969 - Ari Meyers, Puerto Rican-born American actress * 1969 - Paul Rudd, American actor * 1969 - Philipp Peter, Austrian racing driver *1970 - Huang Xiaomin, Chinese swimmer * 1970 - Olaf Kölzig, South African-born ice hockey player *1971 - Lou Merloni, American baseball player *1973 - Donnie Edwards, American football player * 1973 - Rie Miyazawa, Japanese actress/singer * 1973 - Prashanth, Indian actor * 1973 - Sun Wen, Chinese footballer * 1973 - Gina Yashere, English comedian *1974 - Adithya, Indian actor *1974 - Robert Kovač, Croatian footballer *1975 - Zach Braff, American actor *1976 - Candace Cameron, American actress * 1976 - Georg Hólm, Icelandic musician *1977 - Andy Phillips, American Baseball Player *1978 - Myleene Klass, British singer (Hear'Say) * 1978 - Blaine Neal, American baseball player *1981 - Robert Earnshaw, Zambian born, Welsh international footballer *1982 - Ilan Hall, Israeli-American chef *1982 - Michael Guy Chislett, American/Australian musician (The Academy Is...) *1983 - Diora Baird, American actress *1983 - Jade Seah, Singaporean model, host and actress *1984 - Max Bemis, American musician/songwriter (Say Anything) *1985 - Garrett Zablocki, (Senses Fail) *1987 - Levi Porter, English footballer * 1987 - Hilary Rhoda, American supermodel *1988 - Fabrice Muamba, Anglo-Congolese footballer * 1988 - Mike Bailey, English actor *2007 - Princess Haalah bint Hashim, Princess of Jordan Deaths *1147 - Frederick II (b. 1090) *1199 - King Richard I of England (b. 1157) *1199 - Pierre Basile, French soldier *1362 - James I, French soldier (b. 1319) *1490 - King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary *1520 - Raphael, Italian painter and architect (b. 1483) *1528 - Albrecht Dürer, German artist (b. 1471) *1551 - Joachim Vadian, Swiss humanist (b. 1484) *1571 - John Hamilton, Scottish prelate and politician *1590 - Francis Walsingham, English spymaster *1605 - John Stow, English historian *1655 - David Blondel, French Protestant clergyman (b. 1591) *1686 - Arthur Annesley, English royalist statesman (b. 1614) *1707 - Willem van de Velde, Dutch painter (b. 1633) *1755 - Richard Rawlinson, English minister and antiquarian (b. 1690) *1825 - Vladimir Borovikovsky, Russian painter (b. 1757) *1829 - Niels Henrik Abel, Norwegian mathematician (b. 1802) *1833 - Adamantios Korais, Greek humanist scholar (b. 1748) *1838 - José Bonifácio de Andrade e Silva, Brazilian statesman and geologist (b. 1763) *1862 - Albert Sidney Johnston, American Confederate general (b. 1803) *1883 - Benjamin Wright Raymond, American politician (b. 1801) *1906 - Alexander Kielland, Norwegian author (b. 1849) *1933 - Elizabeth Bacon Custer, wife of George Armstrong Custer (b. 1842) *1935 - Edwin Arlington Robinson, American poet (b. 1869) *1953 - Idris Davies, Welsh poet (b. 1905) *1961 - Jules Bordet, Belgian immunologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1870) *1963 - Otto Struve, Russian-born astronomer (b. 1897) *1970 - Sam Sheppard, American accused murderer (b. 1923) * 1970 - Maurice Stokes, American basketball player (b. 1933) *1971 - Igor Stravinsky, Russian composer (b. 1882) *1974 - Willem Marinus Dudok, Dutch architect (b. 1884) * 1974 - Hudson Fysh, Australian aviator and businessman (b.1895) *1976 - Sidney Franklin, American bullfighter (b. 1903) *1992 - Isaac Asimov, Russian-born author (b. 1920) *1994 - Juvénal Habyarimana, Rwandan politician (b. 1937) * 1994 - Cyprien Ntaryamira, Burundian politician (b. 1956) *1996 - Greer Garson, Irish actress (b. 1904) *1998 - Wendy O. Williams, American singer (Plasmatics) (b. 1949) * 1998 - Tammy Wynette, American singer (b. 1942) *1999 - Red Norvo, American jazz vibraphonist (b. 1908) *2000 - Habib Bourguiba, Tunisian politician (b. 1903) *2003 - David Bloom, American reporter (b. 1963) * 2003 - Babatunde Olatunji, Nigerian drummer (b. 1927) * 2003 - Gerald Emmett Cardinal Carter, Canadian religious figure (b. 1912) *2004 - Larisa Bogoraz, Soviet dissident (b. 1929) * 2004 - Niki Sullivan, American guitarist (The Crickets) (b. 1937) *2005 - Rainier III (b. 1923) *2006 - Maggie Dixon, American college basketball coach (b. 1977) Holidays and observances *Tartan Day, the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320, a day set aside for the celebration of Scottish influence *The date of organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Joseph Smith. Also the date on which The Church teaches that Jesus was born. * Chakri Day in Thailand, commemorating the reign of the Chakri Dynasty. Liturgical Feast days in the Roman Catholic Church * Saint Marcellinus of Carthage (d. 413) * St. Sixtus * Blessed Notker * Feast day of Saint Brychan, King of Brycheiniog, South Wales External links * BBC: On This Day * * On This Day in Canada ---- April 06